Market Analyst Notes BTS to be the No.1 in Talent of the Year

• BTS' leads in Parrot Analytics' under-30 demand rankings showcases that fandom scale is now more important than release frequency.
• With 4.06M pre-orders in one week, ARIRANG depicts BTS' return as a market reset rather than a comeback.
• By combining music, streaming, touring, and tourism, BTS is once again operating as an economic engine, rather than merely being a pop group.

BTS ranked first in Parrot Analytics' "What Audiences Loved in 2025" global demand report for talent under 30, despite limited group activity during members' military service. ENHYPEN placed second and SEVENTEEN eighth in the rankings, which measure worldwide audience engagement across streaming, social media, and content consumption.

All three groups are signed to HYBE, the South Korean entertainment company. Parrot Analytics tracks demand through quantitative metrics rather than release frequency, with the firm noting that "the 2025 talent landscape was driven by global [events] rather than traditional release cycles."

The group's fifth studio album ARIRANG, scheduled for March 20, 2026, drew 4.06 million pre-orders in its first week, surpassing the group's previous record set by Map of the Soul: 7. The album also accumulated over 3 million pre-saves on Spotify ahead of release.

BTS' Return Strategy Combines Music and Tourism

BTS will stream a live concert from Seoul on Netflix March 21, followed by a documentary March 27. The city of Seoul will host BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL, converting landmarks into themed experiences tied to the album.

Meanwhile, a city-wide fan experience called BTS THE CITY ARIRANG SEOUL will turn certain landmarks in the capital city of South Korea into immersive media and cultural showcases, connecting the album's concept to larger themes of heritage.

Billboard estimated the ARIRANG World Tour could generate $664 million in ticket revenue, with total sales from albums, tickets, and merchandise potentially exceeding $1 billion. The Korea Culture & Tourism Institute previously estimated that a single BTS concert in South Korea produces 1.22 trillion won ($900 million) in economic impact per show. The Hyundai Research Institute valued BTS' annual economic contribution at 5.6 trillion won.

Following the announcement of the BTS comeback, HYBE's shares hit a four-year high. The shares rose as much as 9.5% after multiple brokerages reportedly upgraded their target prices on Hybe stock following the announcement, adding more than 1 trillion South Korean won ($677 million) to the market value of the company.